Harry Potter and the Summer of Death
by CynthiaER
Summary: Harry Potter is brooding over the death of his beloved godfather Sirius when he recieves a mysterious messager of some greater fate. It is up to Harry, a strange young girl, his classmates and others from around the world to come together and deal w LV.
1. Dreams of A Different Sort

Harry Potter and the Summer of Death  
  
Chapter 1: Dreams of a Different Sort  
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter nor CCS so please don't sue me (I  
have no money)  
  
Young Harry Potter was yet again laying back on his saggy bed at the Dursley's remembering the dream he'd just awoken from. Another dream.  
That sure was weird. he rolled over to stare at Hedwig's empty cage. How on earth am I supposed to figure that out?  
Unable to answer his own question he crossed the room to his window as the lights on Privet Drive were flickering to life in the darkness. The darkness. The Dursley's hadn't retired yet. He could hear the TV blaring downstairs. Some game show. How could they watch those things when the world was in such great danger? And WHAT DID THAT DREAM MEAN?  
Sighing he began to pace. The girl with the cards, the boy with the sword, golden light...all of it made no sense! Especially considering he'd been having a lot of these dreams lately. He paused to stare at the photo album Hagrid had given him fourteen years ago, correction fifteen now.   
Flipping through it he watched the moving pictures of his friends. They were being great, sending him letters and all with news about what was happening and consoling him, but it wasn't what he wanted. It was his fault Sirius was dead. If he hadn't tried to play the hero and raced off to save the day The Order of the Phoenix wouldn't have had to come save him and his friends thus preventing the death of Sirius.  
Running his hands through his hair in an effort to contain his anger he paced harder and faster. He was angry at Tom Riddle for giving into the darkness in his heart, he was angry at Voldemort for ruining the lives of so many and he was angry at himself for letting it go to his head that he was the hero and had to handle everything on his own!  
The room was too small he decided. He was choking on his own self pity! He needed to get out and run around, vent some of his frustration on something more then his pillow. He needed to run away...  
But Voldemort was looking for him and if he left this Muggle home he would surely die. Boy, a lot of choice he had! Finally his exhausted brain saw him to sleep but the dreams never left him and once again he dreamed of Sirius' death with Voldemort's evil laugh echoing over and over in his head...   
* * *  
The next morning came as it always did. Vernon went off to work, Petunia cleaned house and Dudley went off to spend some "bonding" time with his fat-nosed girlfriend, Helga whom had moved to their neighbourhood merely two weeks ago. They had instantly found they'd had a lot in common. Helga also liked to smoke, beat up littler beings then herself (which was most of the population) and generally get into all sorts of trouble.  
Harry took occasional walks to the park but Petunia was always extra jumpy when he left stating that he must come back within the hour. He was sure Petunia wouldn't mind if he walked out and never came back. It had something to do with that promise to Dumbledore.  
The sparrows watched from their perches on the hydro lines as a black haired teen, his head hung low in suppressed emotion walked beneath them and they cocked their own in confusion. How could anyone be so unhappy on a day like this?  
As if sensing their presence he raised his head, sucking in a breath of sweet summer air. On a day like this it was almost possible to forget his fate.  
Walking on he seated himself on one of the park swings, pushing himself off so hard the set squeaked in protest. Too much to dwell on, after all why think on it when nothing could be changed. It was probably best to just move on. Probably.  
After what felt like less then a minute he knew in the back of his mind he should return. Should.  
He stood up, pondering whether to listen to his subconscious or purposely disobey. As always these days guilt won over what breaking the rules had cost him and he started home.  
Deciding on the way of concealment he stuck to the park path rather then by way of the road which led him through an alley of flowering cherry trees. This bunch were always late. He could hear the breeze in the overhead branches as if telling an ancient tale.  
He gave a half hearted smile. Yah, the tale of the great Harry Potter who sentenced his godfather to death and will probably lead his friends down the same path. A path like this one...  
"The key that holds the power of darkness..."  
Harry stopped as he heard the familiar voice.  
"Reveal your true form to me...'  
Harry began to run toward the voice which was coming from further down the path.  
"I, Sakura, commands thee under convert. Release!"  
He caught sight of the girl just as a blinding light erupted from an object in the girl's right palm. Holding a hand up to his face he watched as the tiny object in the girl's hand grew to a pink staff with a star a top opposite the handle. As the light faded Harry became aware of the other presence before him. A black cloaked figure was gliding toward the girl, its breath rattling, silver hands extended.  
Harry whipped out his wand to call upon his Patronus but hesitated as he saw the girl (of around fifteen he reckoned now) pull a card from her pocket and throw it above her head.  
Her voice cried through the web of darkness the Dementor was creating as powerful winds whipped around her.  
"Light!"  
The world seemed to explode! Harry was forced to his knees in an effort to protect his eyes from the white world that now shone around him. He could hear the strangled scream of the Dementor as it vanished.  
When he could once again see his shadow he lifted his head to see (a little blurrily at first) the girl leaning over him.  
"Are you alrigh?" she asked, struggling a little with the language.  
"Yah." Harry could now acknowledge and describe clearly what she was wearing although why he noticed it now he was not sure.  
She wore a white T-shirt with blue trim around the collar and folded sleeves, a pink skirt fitted primly around her slender legs to her knees. He looked up into sparkling emerald eyes encircled by swaying auburn hair with pink bows to hold back the stray ends that tried to escape.  
"That's good." she smiled, bending to pick up his wand which he'd dropped in his haste to cover his eyes. "You'd better take more care of this." She handed it to him. "You'll be needing it in the not too distant future."  
Harry stared at her for a moment before getting quickly to his feet.  
"Who are you?" he asked. A girl with this much power was someone to be wary of.   
"I'm Sakura." she smiled, beginning to walk away.  
"WAIT!" Harry reached out to grasp her arm. "Do you work for Dumbledore? Are you here to protect me?"  
She seemed puzzled.  
"No. I am merely here searching for a boy whom I must save."  
"Who?"  
"It is to be a secret. I must go!"  
With that she wrenched from his grasp and ran through the underbrush. Harry tried to follow her but soon lost her in the uncut weeds.  
He returned to the Dursley's and ignored lunch. It was as plain as day something was going on that Ron and Hermoine had neglected to tell him, or perhaps maybe they didn't know of it either...   
To be continued... 


	2. Time is Money

Chapter 2: Time is Money  
  
As yet Harry hadn't been able to get the strange events of the day out of his mind. The Sakura girl, the Dementor, her powers. It had struck him that Sakura was the girl from his dreams (ha ha, no!). She'd said she'd been looking for someone. Who was it? That, like so many of his other questions, was unanswerable. So he contented himself with writing to Ron and Hermione.  
That same night three things happened. 1. Vernon came home in a good mood 2. Petunia received a letter stating she had won a trip to see her favourite game show "Monkey Madness" and 3. Dudley received a passing mark on his Health test (now how did that happen?)  
As a result Vernon decided to take them all (including Harry after Petunia's insistence) to see "Monkey Madness" live.  
Now Harry had never seen an episode of "Monkey Madness" but was pretty sure it went something along the lines of a person having to...  
1. Dunk their heads in a bucket of molasses and grab all the ping-pong balls with their mouths.  
2. Jumping into a tank of hundred dollar bills to find the hidden one dollar.  
3. Guessing who in the audience had the most money in their pockets at that moment and...  
4. Wrestling whoever had the most money to pocket the money they had in their account.  
Harry reckoned they'd correctly named the show. Only monkeys would play it!  
So they set out the next morning for the evening performance. Vernon and Petunia were humming the Monkey Madness theme song while Dudley insisted on going over and over about the motorcycle he wanted along with the stereo system they were buying him. Harry wasn't sure he would make it to their destination before his sanity deserted him for good!  
They stopped at the gas station and Vernon bought them ice creams (excluding Harry) and again later on at the plaza to buy Dudley's stereo system (they arranged with the clerk to have his motorcycle shipped by the time they'd returned that evening).  
Once Harry could have sworn he'd seen the Sakura girl waiting at an intersection but pushed it from his mind as Vernon pulled up at the back of the stage.  
"Everyone out!" Vernon barked and they got from the car as a black van pulled up beside them.  
The sliding doors opened regally and out jumped who (Harry guessed to be) that nights' performers.   
A tall black man with a cheery smile on his face, a thin woman who was plastered in makeup and a young man not more then seventeen Harry figured.  
Watching them unpile equipment from the back of the van Harry felt a strange sensation run up his spine and turned to see the seventeen-year-old turning his attention back to the boxes he was supposed to be carrying.  
As Vernon led them in through the side door Harry had the feeling he was watched the whole way. Yeah, they shouldn't have come here.   
* * *  
They were one of the first in their seats by the time the show started, not to mention the most prepared!  
Three containers of popcorn, three large cans of drink and four large chocolate bars (Petunia was eating a Subway sandwich, Dudley was having seconds of everything!).  
They were third row from the front,close enough to see everything but far enough away that they would be alright if anything exciting happened as Vernon put it. Harry wondered what his uncle meant by "exciting".  
"And now ever faithful ladies and gentlemen..."  
NOT! thought Harry.  
"...I would like to introduce the three stars of tonight's show..." the announcer gestured to a curtain hiding the "monkeys". "Reynald Rickson from Sydney, Australia."  
The black man Harry had seen in the parking lot walked onto the stage, his smile as wide as ever!  
"Florida Santabury from Texas, U.S.A..."  
The coated make-up woman came out to stand beside Reynald.  
"And young Syaoran Li from Tomoeda, Japan! Let's give them all a big round of applause!"  
The audience broke into an immediate up roar. Harry wondered if they came here just to scream a lot. His attention was once again brought back to the young man who's name was Syaoran who seemed to be watching him when he thought Harry wouldn't notice. Strange...  
And so the show began...  
Reynald retrieved six of the ten ping-pong balls,better then Syaoran who succeeded in getting four. Florida refused to put her head in the molasses so sustained a zero for that round.  
During the commercial brake Reynald and Syaoran washed the molasses from their faces and the giant tub of hundred dollar bills was set up. The audience was once again reminded of the need for silence during the instructions (especially to Dudley who was making an awful racket gulping down his food!).  
The show began again and Reynald managed to find the one dollar, followed by Florida. Syaoran was not as successful yet was the only one to guess correctly who in the audience had the most money, Harry.  
Before they had entered each audience member had been required to show the amount they were carrying with them. The Dursley's (or Vernon, the only one who had brought money) had spent most of it beforehand. Harry had brought spending money of his own since he had known for a fact the Dursley's wouldn't buy him anything. Still, it was only ten dollars. Apparently it was more then what everyone else had however! (Not that that was saying much since there were only around ten other candidates two of whom were children) So that was how he'd come to standing in front of Syaoran Li from Tomoeda, Japan after the next commercial brake in a ring that somewhat resembled those you see on boxing channels.  
He was supposed to fight Syaoran first then the other two until a winner was chosen (the show host wanted them to make it last until they gave them the queue to finish).  
The announcer rang the starting bell and Harry braced himself for the agile-looking boy's attack. He had never been particularly strong but perhaps he could hold his own until the announcers stopped them! But Syaoran never made a move.  
He stood there, eyes fixed on Harry as the audience muttered protests at the delay. Then, slowly, Syaoran raised his right hand to grasp the string amulet he wore over his shoulder bringing it out in front of him as he closed his eyes.  
Before him Harry witnessed the changing of the innocent looking amulet into a VERY sharp, not to mention shiny sword, as if it had been recently cleaned. Harry knew for certain by the way this boy had been acting towards him that he wasn't there to make Harry's life any easier!  
As Syaoran began to advance Harry backed to the ring realizing that time around him had stopped leaving only him and his opponent free to move.  
"Who are you?" he got a straighter answer then what he'd gotten from Sakura.  
"I am Syaoran Li. I come from Tomoeda, Japan. I am a descendant of the powerful sorcerer Clow Reed, creator of the Clow Cards which I had once sought to return to their rightful heir when they fell to the hands of a naive child but now I have a new purpose." He walked faster, raising his sword as Harry grasped in his pocket for his wand. "I serve the powerful Lord Voldemort and thus am sworn to see the end of you, Harry Potter!"  
He was running toward Harry now who's wand seemed to have disappeared in the recesses of his pocket just when he needed it the most! Harry jumped from the deadly sword's path as his hand finally found his wand handle.  
"ACCIO SWORD!" he cried as Syaoran swung at him again.   
For a second the sword hung in the air before returning faithfully to its master. Syaoran smiled.  
"If that's the best you can do I'm disappointed. I'll show you what I can do!" Pulling a piece of inscripted paper from his jacket he called a chant as it flew to connect with his sword. "God of Fire, come forth!"  
Spirals of fire whipped from the paper and Harry could not only feel but smell the scent of his own charred flesh and clothes. What spells did he have that could possibly defeat the power of the Gods themselves? The answer was shouted from behind him by a familiar feminine voice.  
"WATER!"  
From every where it seemed water rained down upon the flames reducing them to smoking puddles of steam. It was from this steamy mist that the Sakura girl walked into the ring.  
"No!" Syaoran cried, taking a step back. "Why now, Card Mistress?"  
"Because I am here on behalf of Dumbledore!" she told him. "It is my duty to protect Harry Potter from the likes of you as it is your duty to destroy him so face my wrath before you vent your own upon him!" Raising her star staff all the cards from her pocket flew to circle it and glow with a blinding pink colour.  
"Not today." Syaoran told her, pulling out another inscripted paper while backing to the opposite side of the ring. "I have used too much power stopping Time. I will return when I am stronger and you are weaker. As it was meant Voldemort will destroy you, Harry Potter!" With that he shouted the chant of the Wind and was gone before Sakura could call upon the Shield to block the gales.  
Gingerly Harry got to his feet, leaning on the railing as the burns on his bare skin began to sting.   
"Oh Harry I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner!" Sakura came to study the damage caused by the fire. "I'm not much of a nurse but I did study healing magic after the transformation of the Clow Cards."  
"The Clow Cards?" Harry asked. "The same Syaoran talked of?"  
"Yes. I must go, Time's magic is wearing low and I must not be seen here with you. Don't worry I will come to your room tonight to address to your burns," she paused as she saw Harry open his mouth, "and your questions." With that she jumped from the ring and was gone as everyone awoke from Time's dream.   
Harry was sent home immediately after the discovery of his injuries. Due to this fact the Dursleys were cross with Harry for cutting short their live show and took as long as possible to get home.  
Then Petunia shoved him in the bathroom and lathered his skin in some sort of foul smelling substance that not only stunk, it stung!  
As a result it was a very unhappy boy who went to his room that night half praying for the soundest of sleeps and the other listening hard for his promised nighttime visitor. 


	3. Powers' Past

Chapter 3: Powers' Past  
  
Harry jerked awake at the sound of a tapping at his window. He had fallen asleep fully clothed, glasses perched atop his nose, unsure whether to wait for the Sakura girl to come to him or to throw that possibility from his ever hopeful mind. It would be too risky for a witch like Sakura to journey to a Muggle neighbourhood like Privet Drive where anything unusual stuck out like a sore thumb. And Sakura was definitely unusual!  
So as Harry hopped out of bed to open the window he expected to see Hedwig who had been away for almost four nights now. But there she was, flying through the night sky with a pair of elegant white wings upon her back.  
When a somewhat sleepy, stunned Harry had stepped away from the window Sakura climbed in, the wings from her back dissipating as her staff resumed its tiny form of a key.  
"Sorry to wake you," she told him, tying the key around her neck, "had to watch for Voldemort's spies. They're everywhere!" From her pocket she pulled a vial of clear liquid.  
Boy she has a lot in there! Harry thought, smiling to himself.  
"Come here Harry." Sakura poured some of the ointment onto a cotton wad as Harry knelt beside her. "I am very sorry about today Harry!" She knelt beside him and began to dab his burns with the sweet smelling,non-stinging healer. It reminded Harry more then ever of the situations he and his friends had gotten into in their earlier years when rules put up to keep them safe had been fun to brake. More then once they had ended in a trip to the hospital wing for either himself or his friends and for sure the results of any further tearing of his own safety system would result in an injury that Madam Pomphrey could not fix.   
He shook his depressed mind to try to clear it but it seemed that no amount of shaking could shake from his memory the horror and crisis that had caused him so much grief.   
Seeing his troubled expression Sakura decided to brake the news to him right then.  
"The Order of the Phoenix has managed to halt Voldemort's plans for gathering the help of the giants."  
Harry raised his head in interest.  
"How did they manage that?"  
Sakura smiled. "Hagrid and Maxime did get to a few of them, that weren't killed that is, there aren't many but, well, let's just say that Hagrid's brother is having quite a bit of influence on them!"  
Her smile was wide, filled with a cheeriness Harry found refreshing after all the guilt and depression. So he smiled a little too.  
"The Order has many volunteers to stand against Voldemort! Everyone who believes, for some still refuse the horrible truth, are aiding Dumbledore and arming themselves for the inevitable confrontation and thanks to you the students of Dumbledore's Army are even more prepared! You've done a lot for us Harry! Remember that it was you who prevented his return for all these years then, when it did happen, you told us of it, you enabled to imprison those who were in the Hall of Prophecies and never forget that you were the one who saved us in the beginning! Never forget what you've done for us Harry, now let us take the world from your shoulders as long as we can!"  
"Yah, because I will end it." Harry whispered as Sakura started to dab at his face. "As the Prophecy went, either Voldemort will die, or I will."  
Sakura looked at him, her heart in her eyes as she placed the cotton wad back in her pocket.  
"Listen Harry. I came here to take you to a safe house for a time before school begins. The Dementors are drawing closer and although they can not touch you within the Dursley's house it is unfair to a young boy becoming a man to lock him in a house with people he hates. He might just go insane and try to join Voldemort. Then we'd all be doomed!"  
Harry smiled at Sakura's fake expression of terror.   
"Now that's what we need more of!" Sakura told him triumphantly. "If there isn't humour in the world what is there to live for? I met your friend Ron by the way. Funny guy, not quite the same level as his twins but funny none the less. Bit sweet on that Hermione girl isn't he?"  
Harry was taken a back.  
"Well, he is a little protective of her now isn't he? Especially about the whole Viktor Krum business. Get's a bit on edge when that subject arises!"  
"I suppose." Harry said, still a little stunned. "How'd you come to this conclusion?"  
She shrugged.  
"Experience."  
Harry eyed her suspiciously.  
"Surely someone as young as you can't have had much of that!"  
"Now I find that offensive! I didn't become the Mistress of the Cards by sitting at home doing crossword puzzles!"  
"By the way. I wanted to ask you how YOU got involved in all this!" Harry seated himself on his desk chair as Sakura plunked herself down on his bed.  
"Well originally I come from Tomoeda, Japan, a quiet little place where you wouldn't really expect anything strange to happen."  
"Like Privet Drive." Harry put in.  
"Yah, anyway I thought I was just a normal nine-year-old who liked to cheerlead and play all manner of sports. Then I unlocked the sorcerer Clow Reed's ancient book and was forced to come to terms with my own magical powers as I sought to return the Cards that had been sealed to their master's book. I was then required to undertake a judgment to test my ability to rule over the Cards which I passed and then transformed the Cards so that they would answer truly to only their new master, Star Card Mistress Sakura. I passed the former ruler's test and came to understand loneliness in the form of the strongest card, the Nothing Card or Void. So I had proven my worth as a fully fledged witch at age twelve and felt obligated to the responsibility of my fellow magical folk in their struggle against the Dark Lord's power and so I'm here. A fifteen-year-old with some of the strongest magic in the world!"  
"I'm surprised it hasn't gone to your head!"  
"Believe me, it's tried!" she sighed, taking out her pink cards and fingering through them. "I think I've forgotten what being normal was like."  
"So called normal!" Harry got up from the chair and crossed to the window. "Where does Syaoran Li fit into this?"  
"Oh him." Sakura sighed again. "He was a descendent of Clow's family who thought that I was not worthy of the Cards so he struck out to be my rival." She paused as her eyes came to rest upon a card with a girl holding a heart with wings on it. The card was labeled "Hope". "It's all much a blur for me those times with Li, except...I remember he was... different somehow."  
"So he's an enemy." Harry could see the conflicting emotions in her expression. There was something deeper to this story that he was missing.  
Sakura nodded.  
"Well," Harry peered out onto the pink street. He peered at the sky and saw that the sun was rising. Had they talked that long?  
"Sakura, did you say we were supposed to be going to the safe house?"  
Catching sight of the bright sky Sakura jumped to her feet.  
"Oh my! Where has the time gone? Where's my key!" She spun around on her heel, scanning the room.  
Harry couldn't help but grin with suppressed amusement.  
"Oh Harry where IS IT?!"  
"Where you put it." Harry told her, beginning to shake with laughter as she ran all through the room searching for her key.  
"WHERE!" She turned to glare at Harry. "Potter you better not have done anything with it!"  
She was marching toward him, a vein pumping in her forehead, fists clenched.  
"Sakura really, it's around your neck!"  
Placing her hand at her throat she grinned sheepishly. "So it is!"  
With that she transformed it to the staff then using the Fly Card so that it sprouted white glistening wings.  
"Usually I just sprout the wings myself but I thought you'd probably be more comfortable sitting on a staff rather then being held by a girl, plus I don't think I could carry you the whole way!"  
"Couldn't I just ride my Firebolt?" Harry asked, remembering his last trip to a safe house.  
"No, it'd be too risky! Best to keep you with me at all times!" Sakura swung one leg out the window. "Well, get your stuff then!"  
Harry carted his trunk to the window where he helped Sakura tie it to the staff.  
"Boy, you guys have too much stuff! I wasn't anticipating all this weight! We'll have to leave it here for the time being. Just bring the really important stuff."  
He collected his Firebolt, Hedwig's cage, his wand(of course!), the Maurauder's Map and his Invisibility Cloak from the trunk. Clipping Hedwig's cage to the staff he draped the cloak over his shoulders, passed the broom out to Sakura and tucked the Map and wand away in his pocket. Swinging himself out onto the staff Sakura shuttered.  
"Sorry. I just don't like the fact that it looks as if I'm only bringing part a Harry!"  
Harry smiled, remembering the cloak over his shoulders as Sakura tossed a note addressed to the Dursleys on his bed.  
"You always have to do that don't you?" he asked as they began their ascent into the pink clouds.  
"They might worry about you." Sakura grinned back at him. "Hold on, we're going higher, need to stay hidden!"  
Harry wondered how that was going to be possible as the day progressed and the clouds lessened but what could he do?  
"Will everyone be at the safe house?" he asked, having to shout over the roaring winds.  
Sakura slowed down their flight a little.  
"Don't shout. If you want to know something tap me on the shoulder and wait!"  
"Yes, Mistress." he imitated a bow but had to regain his balance.  
"Sure and yes, most will be there. Excluding the Order though, they're working else where. The Weasleys, Hermione, Neville and a few other of your classmates."  
"In other words all the youngsters." Harry muttered.  
"No," Sakura turned to face him, "just the next bunch of adults."   
* * *   
"Voldemort sir. I understand my failure to complete your mission but you must understand that the Card Mistress interfered and if I had stayed I would have been finished. I had used most of my power to stop time." Syaoran was telling the Dark Lord who was seated in his chair by the roaring fire.   
Wormtail was cowering in the corner, knowing that his master was angry at the failure to regain the giant's assistance. And at Harry Potter's escape, again!  
"Boy." Voldemort spoke in a low hiss as he raised his wand. "I chose you for your knowledge and power though I could easily replace you." He lifted his other empty hand and slowly began to bring the wide spread bony fingers closer together.   
Syaoran cried out in pain as he grasped his head, struggling to keep his kneeling position at his master's feet.  
"But even more easily I could crush your mind." For emphasis he brought his fingers closer.  
Syaoran dropped to the carpet in spiritual agony, his body twisting in ways the shuddering Wormtail knew were inhuman.  
"Now, bring me Harry Potter!"  
"Yes master!"  
Voldemort smiled, an evil smile that told of pain and hatred. He touched his finger tips together.  
Syaoran screamed.  
"YES MASTER!"   
To be continued... 


	4. Tomorrow's Adults

Chapter 4: Tomorrow's Adults  
  
The clouds had turned a creamy white by the time Sakura landed their mode of transportation outside a large public zoo not two hours after they had set out. After they'd dismounted the staff resumed its key form so that Sakura could squeeze in through the bushes next to the entrance where one bought tickets. Indicating for Harry to follow her she parted the stinging nettle and poison ivy with the Wood Card, allowing them entrance into a beautiful garden.  
Everywhere he looked Harry saw peonies, roses, marigolds and flowers he didn't even know the name of. A little pebbled path led around the beds and a tall fountain that rested in the center of the small garden display. Ivy clung to the rought-iron fence that led further into the attraction and on every side large hedges stood guard against the outside world. It had an unearthly presence that something like this could exist on the edge of a busy human world.  
"Come Harry." Sakura told him as she drew to the side of the fountain's pool.  
Harry followed, peering at his reflection in the crystal depths where coins were scattered along the bottom. For a moment he was shocked to see the seriousness that always lingered upon his face these days, as well as the stubble that was beginning to darken his maturing features. It suddenly hit him as if the very comprehension of such a thought had never quite hit him before. He was growing up!  
"Sacred places such as these always require an offering." Sakura took a silver sickle from her pocket and tossed it into the fountain before clapping her hands together and bowing in thanks.  
Harry out of courtesy took a bronze knut from his pocket and threw it in as well, following Sakura's lead. Then, to his slight bafflement Sakura pulled up the hem of her dress and stepped into the pool, approaching the fountain with purpose. It occurred to Harry that this was probably the entrance to the safe house so he rolled up his pant legs and stepped in after her. Together they entered the fountain.  
Eyes closed Harry stumbled through the cascading water before he felt Sakura's hand grasp his own to show him the way and they emerged from the picturesque waterfall sopping wet but at their destination.  
Blinking the droplets from his lashes he stepped into a dimly lit corridor with red coverlets hiding dozens of furnished oak doors. The design reminded Harry of the castles of Britain's noble past when knights and wizards hadn't been so much a legend.  
"Really, I should have brought an umbrella!" Sakura exclaimed, shaking her head so that her hair sprayed water all over Harry, drenching him all over again!  
"Really, the Card Mistress should remember these things!" Harry teased, taking the Maurauder's Map from his pocket to check its condition.  
Giving him a "ya sure" expression she began their trek up the corridor, drying Harry's broom with her skirt.  
"Now Dumbledore said I would know which door to take." Sakura's eyes dashed from one door to the other, frustration narrowing her brows. "O sure! Leave it to him to trust my sense of direction. I don't even know if I have one!"  
Harry had just finished drying his wand when she let out a cry of triumph.  
"Of course!" she ran to door off to the right and tapped it with her key. Immediately the coverlet rolled to the top and the door opened with a loud creak. Inside Harry couldn't make out a thing.  
"What's so special about this door?" Harry asked, peering at it closely as they passed to enter the darkened chamber.  
"Oh its, Harry can you use your wand to give us a little light. If I use my magic I would disturb the spirits. That's one downside to being Mistress of the Star Cards, everything happens in large portions. If I want light it gives me too much!"  
Holding his wand before him he muttered "Lumos" and scanned the damp cavern of large, stone blocks. Some had statues resting upon the tops of their gray surfaces and some had objects such as wands and mummified pets. All had names and dates engraved into their faces.  
"This is a burial chamber where the Malfoy family buries their greatest." She indicated the coiled snake on the wall. "Most of the Malfoys have fallen into the house of Slythern since their creation. A powerful family they are!"  
Suddenly Harry was very uneasy.  
"And why are we in the Malfoy's burial chamber? The Malfoy's have always been supporters of Voldemort!"  
"Perhaps," Sakura continued at a leisurely walk the hall of diseased Malfoy although Harry felt very trapped by the dank air and the restless spirits. It always had to be like this didn't it.  
"This place is full of strong energy and the dead no longer care of mortals problems. They will, however aid those who ask of their assistance for a purpose they see fit to aid in. Even though the Malfoys are our enemies at the moment Harry doesn't mean they'll always be that way."  
These words had come from a girl yet so young Harry wasn't quite sure whether or not to heed them but the Sakura was wise beyond her years and no less powerful! And as he watched the flickering shadows over the caskets he found himself stashing her words, ready to call upon later if indeed the need arose.  
Then they had passed through the burial chamber and were panting up a flight of steep rock steps to a balcony over looking a great garden of aspen and ivy, with water-lilies growing upon a floor of pond water. Flying them across the pond room Harry soon found himself in a larger version of the Gryffindor common room where they all sat.  
Hermione with her hair done up in a busy ponytail, Ron a smug look on his face as he showed off his latest successful spell, the Weasley twins who were showing Neville their newest invention for their Joke Shop, Luna Lovegood who was staring blankly into space at that moment, Justin and Terry who were discussing disarming spells, Ginny and Dean Tomas were pouring over a book of charms and Ernie who was pacing while practicing a complicated wand movement. A young man was standing against the back wall beside an open doorway leading to a kitchen. Harry was shocked to recognize the star Quidditch player, Victor Krum.  
Victor spotted them and called in suppressed surprise over the chattering voices and crazy movements.   
"Look everr-y one! It's 'Arry Potter!"  
The many heads turned towards them and all through the room smiles ignited like newly lit torches.  
"Harry!" they cried, practically leaping from their seats to embrace him. Harry was knocked to the floor by all the bodies pushing to greet him.   
Sakura stepped aside, a warm smile on her lips as she went to talk to Neville's grandmother who had appeared from the kitchen.  
"Oh Harry we've been so worried that something would happen before you got here!" Hermione told him as Ron helped him to his feet.  
"Yah, but now that you're here we'll protect you!" Terry said, as he took up a fighting pose.  
"You bet! I've been practicing a new spell that will enable me to make an opponent's limbs start doing funny jigs! Can't remember the name but..."  
"Oh Harry! Dean and I have come up with a whole list of useful charms!" exclaimed Ginny, jumping excitedly.  
"And Harry..."  
"Ok guys back up! Give the poor guy some breathing room!" Neville's grandmother commanded, swinging her cane at them as she crossed to the happy bounce.  
"Thanks." Harry muttered to the woman as he was led to a chair by the fire but for some odd reason he couldn't seem to stop smiling!  
"Well what's the news from the outside!" Dean asked as they all resumed their seats.  
"Nothing much at the moment." Sakura told them from her stance at the open doorway. "I haven't been in touch with Dumbladore since I went to pick up Harry. I have heard that they're tracking Voldemort's movements from Berstrang castle though. Voldemort's taking this whole revenge thing world wide!"  
"Well he won't regain the power he had before that's for sure!" Ernie was grinning confidently. "Harry defeated him once, he'll do it again! And with all of us with him..."  
"Voldemort is very dangerous Ernie! If you neglect to remember that fact you are as good as dead!"  
Ernie went quiet.  
"So are you guys all staying here until school?" Harry asked watching as Krum sat down on the armrest of the couch so he could drape his arm around Hermione's shoulders.  
"Yeah." she answered, blushing slightly. "We're expecting a few others fist though. I believe Seamus is coming..."  
"Cho isn't though." announced a fuming Ron. "Had to take care of her relatives in the States, case Voldemort's decides to show up!"  
Silence followed the broaching of this sensitive subject until Sakura, who was as yet oblivious to this comments' reasoning began to talk of the others who were coming to aid them.  
"Richard Forester from South America, Cathrine Monue from Russia, Greg Smertcian from Scotland and a good friend of mine, Amilian Maston from Canada."   
" 'ounds like ve've got all vee need!" Krum put in emphatically as Ron continued to growl in disapproval.  
"Well now children, I believe it's high time we all went to bed!" Neville's grandmother announced to groans of displeasure. "Now come come, you all need your rest if you are to take on anyone so hop hop!"  
The group slowly streamed from the room, each one pausing to say good night to Harry ( apparently Fred and George had something to show him tomorrow). When the main bounce had filed out Sakura guided Harry to his bedroom where he had a very much appreciated shower and slipped into some of Neville's old PJs, which were a little small but they'd do until Sakura brought his trunk tomorrow.  
As he lay staring up at the gray ceiling he smiled yet again at the memory of his friends' happy expressions when they'd seen him. It meant a lot! He had nearly killed them all when he'd led them on the wild goose chase to find Sirius and yet they had forgiven him and stuck by his side. It was that he was most grateful for!   
  
To be continued... 


	5. Students of the Wizarding World

Chapter 5: Students of the Wizarding World  
  
There was no window in his room so Harry had no idea the time he awoke the next morning, although he was sure it was fairly early due to the fact that he couldn't hear a sound anywhere. Or maybe it was always like this.  
Dressing from his trunk at the end of the bed he ventured to the kitchen for breakfast, sneaking past the other bedrooms as silently as he could, which was pretty silently considering the layer of dust that muffled his footprints. Taking a glass from the furnished cupboards above the sink he poured himself some milk before beginning his search for some unsuspecting morsel that would fill his grumbling stomach. Cereal became his victim and he decided to finish it off in the meeting room where he could hear the fire crackling. It was there that he met Amilian Maston from Canada.  
Strolling leisurely into the warm room he was at first unaware of the girl who stood by the large arm chair to the right of the waving shadows. Suddenly becoming aware of the other presence he spun quickly, wand already in hand.  
"Who's there!" he asked in a voice that was just above a whisper.  
She walked from the shadows.  
"I'm Amilian Maston. I've come from Canada to aid you in the overthrowing of Lord Voldemort. I have studied the art of animal speech and can find those who are lost, in more ways then one." She smiled.  
Harry broke his dueling posture and eyed her with curiosity. Chestnut brown hair was what had sparkled in the fire's glow, along with her eyes. They held mischief along with a gentleness that seemed to consume the room. She literally reeked with calm!  
"How do I know you're who you say you are?"  
She shrugged.  
"You could wake Sakura to ask her but please don't, she needs her sleep, you could take a look at the files at the Ministry of Magic under "animal speaker" but since we're supposed to be in hiding that rules that out, or you could just trust me." Her smile was pleading.  
There was something appealing about that smile on her that made Harry smile as well. He found he trusted her.  
"I'm Harry Potter." He extended his hand for her to shake. "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
"Likewise you Mr. Potter." She shook his hand firmly.  
"Harry is what I usually go by," he felt himself falling into a gentleman mode he hadn't realized he'd had, "to Voldemort and his followers I'm referred to as "that Potter boy".  
"Very formal aren't you!" Amilian was chuckling at his manly posture which Harry found very uplifting.  
"I try." He grinned which caused her cheeks to redden slightly.  
"I'm sure you do."  
Silence followed their somewhat pointless conversation in which Harry marveled in this new position of enlightenment, watching Amilian fidget awkwardly.  
"Is...is there a room I could move myself into?" She finally managed, turning to her trunk.  
At first all Harry could concentrate on was her body figure, altered only slightly by the flannel skirt and cream blouse which was wet from the fountain giving a better view of what she'd probably like to keep hidden. She was a medium build, not really thin but not big either. Her legs and arms were long, her waist thin, hips noticeable, chest... he managed to halt his mind there!  
"I don't know but I could help you look for one. We're expecting at least four others."  
"Thank you." She said, looking as though she wasn't sure if she meant it or not.  
He led her along the hallway to the bedrooms, pointing out the occupied rooms and who was inhabiting them. For some reason he noted, with a satisfied smile that when he'd indicated his own room Amilian's cheeks had reddened nicely to a light crimson.  
He was enjoying this, although he couldn't really explain why.  
The room four doors down and to the left became Amilian's residence and Harry let her settle in as he returned to the meeting room where he was allowed a moment of quiet to smile at his first encounter with the Amilian girl before an extremely edgy Ron entered. Harry watched as the uptight Ron seated himself on the arm chair before standing again and then deciding he really did want to sit.  
"What's the matter Ron?" Harry asked, slouching forward toward the fidgety red-head.  
"Oh, its just..." but Ron was interrupted by a bouncy Hermione who came dancing into the room as if she had just successfully aced all her exams!  
"Good morning Harry!" she cried, skipping slightly as she bounded toward the kitchen. "Good morning Ron..." then she disappeared.  
"She's been that way ever since Krum arrived." Ron spoke in an angry whisper. "Hardly pays attention to anyone else."  
Harry knew he should probably give some advice or something but his love life with Chow hadn't exactly given him anything useful to go on. He could admit it, his love life stunk!  
Soon Ron left to the bathroom and Harry was left once again in the company of his own thoughts (blocking that of Hermione's humming from the picture). Today's thoughts drifted to the relationships of friends and enemies alike. But that was too difficult! Best to keep feelings and emotions alike from the picture since only pain and death lay in his destiny. There, he was successfully getting depressed again! Then the others filed in all at once, leaving him no choice but to put aside his pain for another time.  
Fred and George showed off to him their latest invention of the Chewable Eraser (looks like a normal white muggle toy but, it's also edible), Clipable Cheater (clip it to your anti-cheating quill and low and behold you can cheat!) and Nosy Quill (whoever uses it will describe their inner most secrets). They offered him free samples but he politely declined (for good reasons as Neville later describe).  
A meeting was scheduled for 10 that morning which arrived fast enough when the other three representatives made their appearance! Richard Foster was a handsome man of around seventeen who was charming (or at least the girls thought so) with a strong sense of right and wrong. Ron whispered after about twenty minutes into his hour long speech on how and why Voldemort was going to be defeated, "I wonder if preaching is his line of work."  
Catherine Monue had the shapely appearance of a model but her thought process mainly consisted of sucking up to whoever was the most good looking and worrying about who's side they were on afterward. "Nice girl," Ron commented as she started warming up to Victor Krum, "but thought process the size of a termite."  
Greg Smertcian was not the best looking of men but was the smartest of the bunch. His knowledge went beyond his years (twenty-three) and he preferred a reasonable conversation with a girl rather then trying to get her into bed as Harry observed from the hallway. In fact, the only minus to Greg was that he had a weak spot for a certain Amilian Maston who was a glow that shone through the lot of them!  
She was also a very learned girl of life's important things for her age of sixteen with her many stories of the talks with her animals. Her and Greg fell into an immediate conversation and Harry could tell he was taken with her from the insistent way he kept her to himself whenever he tried to get a word in edgewise. Not that he himself was around much, just sort of hanging at the back of the room occasionally drifting past the place where the two of them talk when Amilian would laugh in a pleasant, desirable fashion. Not that he was that he was around much...  
Finally the meeting rolled around and they all seated themselves on the chairs and the floor, waiting for the Cardmistress to address the purpose of this gathering.  
"You have all traveled from your homes to join us here and the Order thanks you!" Sakura stood at the front of the assembled company, the crackling fire at her back. "It is our job as the future generation to insure our kind the safety we ourselves have grown accustomed to. We are the Order's backup in case an emergency arises, most of us that is." She nodded toward Harry. "It is not only our duty to strive to all ends to bring the Dark Lord down but also to protect the young man who sits amongst us for both he and his friends Ron and Hermione have done us a world already, always at the aid of their friend. Let them be a model to you all for if we are all to succeed we must be a close knot of friends. It is the strong emotions of love and goodness that Voldemort cannot understand therefore he is weakest when facing them.   
So, back to our schedule now. Up until the time we are called upon we will continue the lessens and teachings of Dumbledore's Army with Harry's guidance if he will lead us."  
The group turned to look at him and he contemplated his answer a mere second before agreeing. Applause and cheers of happiness were silenced by Sakura who tucked her Star Card away before continuing.  
"Does anyone have any suggestions?"  
Hermione raised her hand.  
"Yes."  
"No one knows about this place except the Order and us right?"  
Sakura nodded.  
"Well, just in case, is there a back way we can take if a quick escape is required?"  
"Wonderful Hermione yes. There is a secret chamber in the stone eagle at the end of the hall. State your reason for its need and it will let you pass. It is fairly simple to get outside after that but hopefully with are alarm system we shouldn't be needing it. Any others?"  
"Harry will be staying here if we're called out won't he?" Ernie asked.  
"Yes."  
"Why!"  
All heads turned to an angry Harry who knew that resistance was futile but wouldn't give up without a fight!  
"We have to keep you safe..."  
"I started the DA and I want to make sure they all make it out alive! I at least owe them that! Besides, its got to be only me and Voldemort! The prophecy clearly stated that that's how it must be!"  
"And that's exactly why you must stay here Harry!" Sakura sighed. "At least we can increase your chances of survival by weakening the Dark Lord's forces. If you are the last to face him then at least you'll have a better chance then if you'd fought him at the beginning."  
Harry knew he was defeated and looked at the crowd of pleading faces who cared so much and who would surely die because of it.  
"I know." He mumbled as he walked from the circle and into the hallway.   
For a moment he leaned against the wall but the voices who began pledging allegiance to his protection was too much and he stalked off to his room where he began the ever present ritual of beating up his pillow. Still, it was never quite enough.   
  
To be continued... 


	6. Magical Memories

3

Note to readers: Due to the untimely stealing of my computer I lost the original version of chapter 6 (which had been my favourite! shakes fist angrily at thieves). I have written another copy for the sake of my readers but I find it to be nowhere near as good as the original. I only hope someone out there is enjoying it...

Chapter 6: Magical Memories

The next few days Harry continued the teachings of the DA along with the input of the international wizards. Richard aided them with disarming and stunning spells, Catherine specialized in defensive spells, Greg taught stunning and disillusioning spells and Amilian showed them how to ask for aid of the creatures around them, camouflage and other spells of distraction.

Krum found it his duty to teach Hermione spells he knew although she often mastered them faster then he could explain them. Ron had trouble focusing on his training which resulted in his being hit with the 'jiggy' curse as Ernie called it and spent the rest of the evening attempting to halt the relentless movement of his limbs.

Every time Harry turned his back he could hear them going on about how they were planning to protect him from the Dark Lord. At least Ron and Hermione weren't rubbing in the fact that you could practically see the numbers floating across your consciousness, counting down your days. The less experienced seemed to be more cocky.

Fred and George still found time to terrorize everyone with their newest invention, spider chocolate which sprouted eight legs when you were preparing to pop it in your mouth. Meal time had become more a hazard than a pleasure.

On the evening of their fourth night in the safe house their efforts were finally put to the test. During a fairly normal session of Neville chasing his levitating toad around the table (courtesy of Fred) there was a sudden blast of cold air interrupting Neville's grandmother in mid-screech. Luna and George leapt to their feet as the freezing wind made them shiver.

"He's here."

And the door blew open as Syaoran and his Dementors glided into the room, extinguishing the fire that had been burning so merrily in its grate. Syaoran's eyes no longer had pupils only glinting whites, his sword slicing the thin carpet as he twirled it.

"Some alarm system Sakura." Fred whispered, getting to his feet as the others slowly followed suit.

"Kill them but leave Potter to me." Syaoran's voice was a dead sound, much like the rattling breath of the Dementors.

Luna and Sakura jumped in front attempting to halt the procession of growing cold as the others ushered Harry down the hall to the stone eagle that was their way out.

Catherine led the panicked procession and calmly asked for it to let them through. When nothing happened she tried again, her voice growing in intensity as the presence of the Dementors came steadily closer. Finally the whole group was pounding desperately on the eagle and screaming commands at the unchanging stone. They were forced to separate as the Dementors swooped amongst them like shadows, their glistening hands grabbing handfuls of their prey's clothes.

Sakura ushered Ginny and Harry into a side room empty except for a glowing orb on a pedestal in the center. Syaoran materialized in the doorway behind them and Sakura summoned the Freeze Card.

Syaoran and the Dementors who came in with him were coated in a crusty encasing of ice. As Harry and Ginny watched in aw the frozen Dementors cracked and fell to pieces Syaoran, however, broke through the barrier and advanced, a smile growing on his human face.

Calling upon the Maze Card Sakura and the others lost sight of Syaoran as he became lost in the weedy walls. Harry backed farther away from the maze as he felt the cold presence of more Dementors but was forced to jump away from the heat of the orb on his back. Turning to stare into its misty depths he was tempted to reach out a hand and touch it, just to see how those rippling torrents of power would react....

"Don't touch that!" Sakura cried, hastily pulling him away. "That is where the Malfoy's stored their most powerful spells and curses before their death. To touch it means to suffer the fate of all those spells combined, most likely death."

"Then why did they..." Ginny began but was hushed by the slash of Syaoran's sword breaking through the maze wall.

Sakura searched vainly for another card to use but was sliced across the chest by Syaoran's sword. She fell to the ground and Syaoran advanced toward Harry. Ginny jumped him, knocking him off balance. Harry was forced to leap aside as Syaoran fell past him, making contact with the orb.

Bright red light flashed and a soul-shattering scream tore through the air as the sorcerer cried out in mortal agony. Syaoran was dieing...

It was a good thing, Harry told himself, Syaoran was a powerful enemy, it would save so many if he was dead. But something in Harry told him that, no matter what, it couldn't end like this.

"Sakura, use the Hope Card!" He shouted, panicking as Syaoran's body went limper.

"What."

"Just do it!"

Weakly she pulled out the card and struck it with her staff.

And the world changed. It was as though he was no longer seeing life with his own eyes but through the eyes of another. He saw Sakura and Syaoran when they were young children laughing and chasing after the cards together. Holding each other close when Sakura had thought she'd been unloved and that day when she'd had to say goodbye to her one true love...Syaoran.

When Harry awoke he was on the chamber floor with Ginny, Sakura and an unconscious Syaoran. Neville's grandmother discovered them and immediately began healing Sakura's wounds although the exhausted Card Mistress kept insisting that she was fine. The two adults bound Syaoran and took away his sword which had shrunk back into its amulet form.

Everyone had escaped relatively unscathed from the Dementors but it was apparent that they could no longer stay at the safe house. Thus is the reason they set out to the Order's hideout, Harry plagued with the visions he'd seen and a dream the following night.

Syaoran had been floating in a world of white light with the Hope Card, the winged heart extended toward him.

"Come back to me," she whispered, her hair wrapping around him, "I love you, come back to me."

Slowly his pupils returned but his eyes began to close and he lowered his head in submission.

"I'm trying dearest....I'll try...."


End file.
